Texts in Conversation
In 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds his readers of how the Israelites were killed in the wilderness by a “destroying angel” that mediated divine punishment. This is similar to the “destroyer” in Exodus, who brought death to Egypt but was prevented from entering homes marked with blood.
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Exodus 12:23
Hebrew Bible
22 Take a branch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply to the top of the doorframe and the two side posts some of the blood that is in the basin. Not one of you is to go out the door of his house until morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to strike Egypt, and when he sees the blood on the top of the doorframe and the two side posts, then the Lord will pass over the door, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. 24 You must observe this event as an ordinance for you and for your children forever. 25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give to you, just as he said, you must observe this ceremony.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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1 Corinthians 10:10
New Testament
8 And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and 23,000 died in a single day. 9 And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. 10 And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
Date: 55-57 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Matthew says the king sent his armies and destroyed the guests who not only had refused to attend the wedding, but also murdered the king’s representatives. A destruction resulting in death is definitely the sense conveyed of ἀπόλλυμι in these parables. Similar observations apply to the other usages of ἀπόλλυμι in relation to divine judgement. In Luke 17:27 it describes the Flood that killed everybody. In Luke 17:29 it is what fire does when it killed the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. In 1 Corinthians 10:10 it is used of the Israelites who, for their disobedience, perished in the desert by the hand of the “destroyer,” probably God’s avenging angel. (compare Exodus 12:23) Finally, in Jude 5 and 11, the author twice uses ἀπόλλυμι to describe the death of some Israelites because of their unbelief and during Korah's rebellion. Thus in the nine times in the New Testament that derivatives of the verb ἀπόλλυμι are used in relation to God’s acts of judgement, a destruction leading to death is always involved ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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